


The Blue Moon Festival is Tomorrow Night

by NamarieMari



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Comedy, Comedy of Errors, Disk Drunk | Infected Adora (She-Ra), F/F, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Post-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:42:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27075925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamarieMari/pseuds/NamarieMari
Summary: (A cute and heartfelt comedy taking place a few months after Season 5!)Former Force Captains Catra & Adora can't find the words to communicate their feelings now that the universe isn't exploding. When Adora reaches out to Bow for advice, Bow brings her somewhere Glimmer showed him, and after that things start to go off the rails altogether rather quickly.Meanwhile, Glimmer has to deal with not only her Aunt Casta's (truly backbreaking) plan to set-up an entire festival for King Micah by the next evening's blue moon, but the Princesses of Eternia are all coming over to help (and not everyone is totally thrilled with the new status quo).Coupled confusions, mistaken identities, misunderstood intentions, sly double-crossing, unexpected arrivals and almost too many romantic confessions to count! Welcome to a comedy of errors!
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra), Mermista/Sea Hawk (She-Ra)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 18





	1. Caffeinated

Early in the morning, when the dawn has only just finished passing over the world, the sleepy townsfolk of Brightmoon begin to stir and rise. The people of this realm rest easily, and rest heartily, for the peace they now begin their mornings with was a hard-fought one, preceded by a terrible time they had long lived in and much disliked. But those are all stories now, little myths beginning to grow, so it is a world at peace and with an overflowing bounty of tranquility that we find ourselves in today. With a brilliant cloud-splattered sky cheerfully overhead, we focus on a little bakery, just left of the town square (but not all the way left or you’ll miss it)! The beautiful wooden front almost melts into the surrounding stores in such a way that the eye could slide merrily over it and never even realize there’d been something there at all. In front are but a scant few tables, and it is at one of these same tables that Adora takes a tentative first sip from her mug. Whatever it is, it’s warm, and creamy, and just... _wow._

"Is that- oh man that’s _chocolate_?" She snorts, but just drinks even more, almost spilling globs of brown ambrosia all over her nice red jacket. It’s early, but already an excitable crowd has gathered at the tiny bakery, and all the other little tables are filling up fast. Even though it was Adora who wanted to talk, Bow had insisted they hit the Plump’ded Pastry bright and early (although it meant Adora had to skip a run, and you feel that all day in the legs, lemme tell ya’).

Bow runs his thumb along the edge of his mug and grins. "I told you I had the perfect place in mind! Glimmer showed it to me yesterday, it's called coffee! They haven't been able to get any in Brightmoon for ages, apparently, since it all grew in Scorpia's kingdom before Hordak. Before… before-dak?"

Adora's brow furrows, a huge smile on her face as she takes another long drag. "Well I can see why they'd be excited to get it back, it’s dessert before breakfast!"

"This is what Glimmer and I got! It is called, _a mocha_.” Bow presents the clay mug like it was full of gold. “She liked it even more than I did; I bet whoever she’s talking to now, she’s trying to convince them to come get some before they run out! She said we should all get some early tomorrow morning and save them for when we watch the blue moon stuff they’re gonna do! I hear they might even do fireworks this year!"

Adora sighs contentedly. Her cup totally empty, she _clinks_ it on the table with an impish little grin (a behavior Bow is convinced was picked up from a certain cat). She lowers her eyebrows, leans in conspiratorially, and remarks, "Blue moon, mhmm, you know, I didn't think I was thirsty on the way over, but now that I'm here… eh? Go with the flow? Am I right?" She lifts a finger and bellows, "Can we get two more coffee over here please? The _chocolate_ ones?"

The waiter looks over, a little confused, but gives her a tentative double-thumbs up.

Bow shouts out, "Uh, just one, though!"

The waiter lowers one thumb.

Adora calls out, "No, no, two!"

The waiter raises both thumbs back up, but they don’t seem to be having fun anymore with this. Adora looks away as quick as she can and whispers, "Sorry, the second one is for Catra."

Bow, although he hadn’t been exactly opposed to begin with, acquiesces instantly. He _ever_ -so-gently sets his cup down and leans his head into his hands, his face completely calm. Serene. In this state of perfect calmness, he raises his eyebrows and begins in a whisper, "Soooo… you… and Catra... did you ever imagine…?" Through the littlest crack in his eyes, Adora can see a glimmering twinkle, a twinkle that… look, it doesn’t exactly take an expert to see that the guy’s been _dying_ to ask, right?

Adora turns a little red. "I imagined it over and over," she admits sheepishly. She looks up at the bustling little stall, at the happy faces of people going by. “I… I just never… you know…”

Bow nods, because … well, because he _does_ know (and I suspect _you_ know, too).

"Although looking back,” Adora snorts, embarrassed as she whispers, “It... kind of was obvious."

"Really super obvious," Bow adds, smiling. "Like, really super-duper obvious."

Adora scoffs. She puts a hand up in her own defense and retorts, "Oh, okay, hold on there, I am not hearing super-duper obvious coming from the _childhood best friends?_ Best friends since forever?” Suddenly, Adora scowls. Her face drops. It’s the word ‘best friends’ that got her, so she unhappily adds, “It’s different for me and Catra though.”

Bow smirks impishly. "I guess that's just how the Best Friend Squad rolls, huh?"

Adora nevertheless crosses her arms, lifts her hand to wave away all accusations. “Okay, well, still! You and Glimmer? It's not like you and Swift Wind or anything, Mister Big Surprise!”

Mister Big Surprise laughs, and the waiter sets down two fresh cups of joe. The waiter’s normally dry, emotionless demeanor prickles as they stare at the drinks already on the table. "You do realize," they let out in a slow croon, leering at Adora, "You can't bring these with you, right?"

Adora cracks open one eye, says, "Wha-huh? What? Oh. Uh..."

She looks at the waiter.

The waiter _glares_ back.

She chuckles, grabs both hot cups, and smiles. "Nope, this is... on purpose! Liked it so much! Gotta... big day today!" She takes a little sip of one. “Very thirsty!” _Sip._

The waiter mutters something, a short and sharp sound, but says nothing Adora could understand. Just snatches Adora's empty mug and walks away.

Bow laughs into his hand. "You might be on your own there!"

Adora says with a wolfish smirk, "I don't really think that's gonna be an issue.” And with a single move, down goes half the cup, the archer never surprised by Adora's capacity for stuff (plus Bow thinks she’s gotten even _hungrier_ since becoming the failsafe, but Glimmer says he’s imagining things).

But Bow is on a mission, and a mission is serious business. Bow drops his smile and leans in to whisper, "Can we go back to talking about you and Catra?" He’s beaming from ear to ear. "Are you happy? How happy? Are you gonna share a room when we go into space?!"

Adora laughs, shakes her head, tries to get into the serious business mission mindset. She opens her mouth to speak, but she only mumbles, "No, I... great! Sharing a room, would… uh... and while I would… uh… like… that… I mean I know I would…”

Bow seems a little sad for her. He gently asks, “But…?”

"Well I mean..." She wiggles her eyebrows. Raises her hand. "You know how I feel, ha-ha, right buddy? We’re... we’re on the same page with this one, totally, given our, similar… situations!"

Bow just nods.

“You’d describe it better! If something was happening! Which isn’t the case,” Adora shouts (she’s shouting now, oh no). “Ha-ha, look: don’t even worry about that wacky cat-lady, I’m just here today with you, bud! Huh? Cool!" Adora takes a long pull of coffee.

“So just to be clear, everything with Catra is going perfect, and you weren’t really thirsty, but you really needed to meet me for drinks this morning because…?" Adora doesn’t respond, and Bow knows he’s got her. He leans to the side with a satisfied smile and chuckles as he says, "Unless it’s something super world endingly big and out of our hands, or something maybe Entrapta did, I’m sure it’s something a genuine and honest conversation can work out!”

Adora doesn’t answer.

Bow frowns. “Sorry, I know I’m the one who brought up Entrapta, but I'm starting to get worried."

Adora waves her hands around, gestures to Bow, and says, "No, no, it's... you-know-what! What it **always** is, it’s… _uuuuggh, it’s like talking and stuff, okay?!_ " In her brain, it’s like she’s pushing massive puzzle pieces around in circles. "I've… I’ve been trying to be… romantic and stuff, romantic hang out and _date_ stuff… for Catra, but... it's not easy. A-and it’s not working. No one in the Horde teaches you how to do... anything like this!” Adora’s face is full of sorrow, confusion. “There's so much I want to tell her." Adora sighs, sets her cups down (oh wow one of those is already empty) and puts her head in her hands with a look halfway between exasperated and wild. "Everyone thinks we must be so lovey-dovey! Years of waiting! Crossing swords! But when the whole entire world isn't melting behind you, it's suddenly… you know… a lot harder to..." Adora wiggles her hands. "...you know!"

"Say 'I love you'?"

Adora looks him dead in the eyes, gravely nodding. She's turned a ghastly pale.

Bow smiles. He’s relishing in all of it, this is Bow’s realm of expertise: honest communication and facilitating genuine dialog!

Well, that and arrows and… bows and stuff and machines sometimes.

‘Plus,’ he ponders as Adora nervously chugs coffee, ‘To be fair, anyone even being _friends_ with Catra seemed pretty far-fetched for a while...'

The day they “captured” the cat was probably the first time Bow and Catra (and Glimmer) got to spend more than 30 seconds together… and it was up there as one of the worst experiences of his life. And come to think of it, Catra really maintained that high standard almost every time they met thereafter… not even thinking of the whole _portal-to-the-end-of-the-world-thing-but-I-mean-it’s-hard-to-forget_ …

‘None of that before stuff matters anymore!’ Bow very seriously reminds himself, ‘She saved Glimmer! And Adora, too! She’s completely different now. Well, she’s not _different_ , but she’s not… Besides, the first time we saw the way Adora looked at her?’ Bow smiles, almost on the verge of tears he’s so full of affection.

Finally, the archer raps the table with his fist and says, "Adora, you've got this!” His eyes are gentle and reassuring, but full of passion. “You've told Glimmer and I 'I love you' a bunch of times! You even said it to Madame Razz yesterday! You can express yourself however you choose, and you shouldn’t be nervous!"

But Adora only frowns, her eyes on her hands in her lap. "That's what I'm talking about, why I’m _trying_ to…” She tries to articulate _harder_ in the same way you’d try to throw a rock _farther_. “With everyone else, it's way easier! It’s just… the truth! But with Catra... with Catra, you know, it… uuuugh, not that it’s not the _truth_ , it’s just… it… you know." She puts her head on the table and takes a deep breath in, but in the end, she says nothing. Just heaves a heavy sigh.

Bow's smile drops. He reaches across the table and puts his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Adora, I don’t mean to stress you out... you said it yourself, the Horde’s emotional education leaves a lot to be desired! You just need practice!”

Adora pulls her hand away to throw back another huge swig of mocha (which, if Bow had been paying attention a little better, he’d see was from _his_ cup, Adora’s both long empty). "Okay,” Adora says dramatically, “but what if you're reaching out, you’re doing that part super hard all the time, and it's still just as far away, all the time?"

"That..." Bow's face scrunches up. "That sounds like a nightmare."

"Okay, a nightmare, so that's what my life’s become," Adora murmurs, eyes bugged out.

Bow can only sigh. "Look, I understand what you’re feeling. Glimmer hasn't really... said it a whole lot either." Adora looks up just as Bow's face melts into that sugar sweet grin, eyes lost in the distance (a charming and frequent expression for the archer as of late). "It's not like I can't _feel_ it, though. When she says good morning, or when she grabs me my tracker pad, or when she finds something cool and thinks to get me... Words aren't the only way you have to communicate it… I promise, she feels it, even if you can't say it! And besides, you only just started dating! That’s normal, I’ve heard! I think the entire world blowing up almost was the weird thing that happened, not the other way around."

Adora sighs, feeling like she's bursting to do something, but with no idea what to do, the feeling is just a nervous wind whipping in her chest. "Words mean so much to Catra... and they mean a lot to me… I just wish…"

Adora lets an image take up space in her head. She can imagine early morning sunlight filtering in through the windows. Catra is still sleeping, but just as Adora reaches the door, her sleepy voice floats up from under the covers.

‘…love you, Adora.’  
‘I love you too… Catra.’

Adora twists up her face with every ounce of her resolve, throws back the last of Bow’s drink, and jumps up from the table. "I'm gonna do it!"

Bow cheers, "That's the spirit! Believe in yourself!"

"There's so much I wanna tell her," Adora says, hunching over a little, head in hand. "It's been years, Bow! And for so long… I mean, everything turned out for the best, but, boy, I was definitely a little nervous in the middle there!” She bounces on the balls of her feet, like she’s prepping for a sprint. “I’ve just gotta hype myself up, you know?” She starts _really_ bouncing on the balls of her feet now, and the other people at the bakery start to frown and look over. “I gotta hype myself up, just gotta get myself at that critical mass, right? No matter how badly you don’t want to do something because you’re super nervous, you just gotta put so much energy behind it you just, BOOM!” She throws up a bicep. “Blast right through it, you know? That makes sense, right?” 

Bow furrows his brow. "Uh, Adora?"

"And I can't tell you how good it feels to open up and express all this," she starts walking around the table, excited, looking off into the distance, "Cannot stress enough, back at the Horde? Shadow Weaver? Pfft, nobody taught… ohmygosh, _Shadow Weaver!_ She must have known, right? I mean was it obvious from the beginning? Oh man _everyone in the bunks would totally have_...!” Her hand hits her head, she looks out at the horizon, scoffs, adds, “And-and here’s the thing, we've only, you know, the... we've only said, the thing, the one time, I mean, just the one day! But! One day isn't enough, Bow! I… I want to say it one time for, for," Adora looks up at the sky, little tears at the corners of her eyes. "One time for every day she was gone. I've gotta go find her and do that."

Bow stands up too, but he doesn’t reach out yet, for fear that whatever tension Adora is under will break with even a little poke. "Adora, you seem a little… high-strung.”

“Yes,” Adora doesn't move an iota as she adds, “ _Maximum_ -strung."

“Why don't you take a minute to _relax_ instead?" Bow mumbles, looks around, points at the bakery and adds, "I’ll grab you a scone! Two scones! We’ll just chill out a sec, okay? Saying 'I love you' a bunch of times in a row isn’t going to-“

"Way more than a bunch." Adora’s eyes are unfocused, her hands trembling in front of her. Adora’s mind has been consumed by the one impulse that should never drive one’s actions: having to do everything _super great_ even on the _first try_ because you have to be **_flawless at everything you do all the time forever_**.

"Adora I really think you’d be better off doing anything that’s not this."

"Thank you so much for meeting with me, Bow, I really can't begin to express how great this conversation has been." She smiles that huge grin of hers, grabs Bow in a bone-crushing hug, and says, "And you! And your friendship, you have been such a... uh, I _love_ you, best friend!" The word ‘love’ almost catches in her throat, but Adora forces it like a boulder through a keyhole.

"Okay, Adora, I really have to insist you sit down," Bow says, but she's already dropped the archer and walked away, turning just long enough to give him a big wave and a huge smile.

"Okay buddy, I gotta run!" Adora takes just one, courteous, measured step, before breaking into a full-on sprint.

"A-Adora, wait! What's going on?!"

"I'm excited to see my... _you know **!** "_ Adora shouts, getting further and further away.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


	2. Over-Caffeinated

Adore hurtles down the hallway, heart thumping, head racing, is it all a dream? A cyclonic whirlwind of a dream? She’d felt light and bouncy all morning, like she'd been itching to sprint for days.

'What do I expect when I skip my morning run,' she thinks to herself. 'Obviously I'm burning up, I've got a lot of pep! Natural pep, ha-ha, that’s, that’s a well-known Adora quality, right? And I am the _failsafe_ , still! Also! That's probably part of it too!' Adora slows to a jog and takes in a big breath, letting it out as an ominous groan. Time to get serious.

'Okay, Catra's gotta be somewhere, so, what is it, 9? Asleep. Or it's 10 or maybe 11, in which case she's... actually, probably...' Adora huffs, and takes off for her room just as Bow comes close enough to see her.

"Adora!" He calls, but she's already too far to stop now.

\--- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Glimmer’s shoes make a soft _tip tap_ as she crosses in front of those oddly familiar windows.

The hall before the war room.

She hasn’t passed this way in quite a long time, and as she takes in the long stretch of pristine glass, the overwhelming weight makes her stop, eyes on the horizon. Her head is too full of memories! She sighs.

A voice from down the hall calls out, “Queen Glimmer!”

General Juliet, approaching from behind, lowers herself to one knee, and Glimmer shakes off her gloomy shadow. “I humbly thank your Highness for meeting with me today.”

Glimmer chuckles out of habit. “Don’t worry about it, General! No trouble at all.” She shrugs, adds, “Not exactly a ton to do, with the Horde defeated and my dad back. Things are calm for once!” Her eyes flicker to the windows and she adds, “It’s… actually really nice.”

General Juliet rises to her feet, but her face is still stern. “I agree completely with your majesty. And while I do not mean to be rude, this matter directly concerns your father’s return to Brightmoon.” Glimmer’s eyes narrow. General Juliet points out at the view, the city of Brightmoon rolling away beneath them. “The people have clamored to see their newly returned King, but with the war with Horde Prime, we’ve hardly had time to welcome him home. Plus, there was a long period of time where your father and many among us were… well...” Juliet straightens up even further. “Regardless, the people have had no chance to meet your father. As he is normally. As your chief acting steward, I would like to suggest a… well…" The general sighs, and says dimly, “A festival?”

Glimmer’s eyes shoot open, filled with stars. “Oh my gosh, a festival! To celebrate my dad?! You’re a genius, general, oh, I’ve always wanted to plan a festival, but my…. well, now’s the perfect time, you’re right. Oh, I’m so excited! Bow and I have been daydreaming about this _forever_!” She goes to wrap the leader of the armed forces of the Kingdom of Brightmoon in a big old hug, but thinking better of it, she takes the soldier’s hand and shakes it as much as she can. “Do we have medals I can award you with? Actually, you probably have them all by now, huh?”

General Juliet smiles a little, lowering her head. “You’re too kind, I am pleased to serve your lordship.”

“Oh,” Glimmer says, “General, you don’t need to be so formal with me! Besides, as the chief steward, we’re about to spend a bunch of time together while we plan a _festival_ , oooh, yes!” Glimmer almost jumps, energy overflowing.

The General lowers her head a little more. “Actually, there is... one… issue... the timeline. I consulted with, uh, an expert, and the most prudent time to perform the ceremonial rites would be… well, the next blue moon.” The general’s tone of voice is shifting somewhere even more deferential.

But Glimmer just scoffs. “You can’t plan a big festival before the next blue moon. Sorry, but it’s tomorrow night!”

General Juliet lowers further towards the ground, and says, “Yes, well… that’s why I thought it prudent to invite your,” she hesitates, “Your Aunt, Castaspella.” Glimmer’s body fills with concern as the general adds, “Strictly as an expert in parties and… such. But, um, she won’t be arriving until tomorrow morning, your Highness. I only spoke to her just prior to reaching out to you.“

Glimmer lets out a twisted sigh, “It’s okay. I know she invited herself.” The General’s face twitches. Glimmer looks out the window at the square, her once roaring excitement now a flickering little spark. “Well… as long as Bow and I get to work now, we can probably set up all the things we want before my Aunt-”

“Darling!”

“Uuuuugh, are you serio-?!”

“There you are darling!” Aunt Castaspella throws her hands in the air, smiles, and sucks Glimmer into a huge hug. Having appeared from nowhere, the sorceress has the queen pinned in her arms.

Defeated, Glimmer groans, wraps her hands around the woman, and croaks, “Hi, Auntie.”

“Juliet told me everything over the tracker screen thingy, and I simply adore it! Juliet.” Casta winks at the general, who has stood at attention with a wide-eyed stare since the witch appeared. “The best part is you and your father will finally be able to do all of the special rituals together! Oh, I was always so… oh, you and your father never got to… oh, nevermind the past! It’ll be so _adorable_!”

Glimmer feels a wave of dread pass over her. “Uh… not rituals like last time, right?”

Aunt Casta scoffs, waves her hand in front of her face. “Oh no no, _mhmm_ , no. No fighting or monsters, that’s wartime ritualizing, and (no offense to the ancestral line of Brightmoon of course) I always found those rituals to be too violent and macho and aggressive. No, no, no, I mean like lighting a candle and saying a beautiful oath to the kingdom, or a fire you pledge to leave burning for a fortnight, or even better!” She pulls out a worn burlap sack, and with stars in her eyes, says, “Father-daughter sack races!”

Glimmer looks up from the dingy sack with a brave smile. “Woohoo! Sack races!" Just saying that has sucked all the energy out of her spine. She adds in a sigh, "The thing is, Auntie… why tomorrow night? Can’t we just wait until the next-“

Castaspella dramatically shakes her head and cries out, “Not at all, Glimmer, no, the ritual simply must take place tomorrow night!” She puts a hand on Glimmer’s shoulder, and says, “I bet you didn’t even know that a blue moon is the night that the heavens are as close to Etheria as they can ever be, and magic is at its most pure? Healing miracles and wondrous illusions can be performed on the blue moon that cannot be attempted any other time of year, and the first blue moon since the stars returned _and_ the war ended?! We simply must have it on _the_ blue moon, _this_ blue moon, otherwise it would so thoroughly fail to capture the wonder that is your father’s return, I’d simply explode!” Castaspella declares all of this with furious decisiveness. “I’m sure you’re worrying about the time table and that’s a factor, yes, but! Between She-Ra, us three, and the more useful princesses, we’ll be able to put everything in place in a snap!”

Castaspella waves her hand in the air, conjuring a circle filled with many clean lines and geometric forms. It twists, glows bright, and with a flash of color, Glimmer’s eyes are filled with castle walls. An illusion, the image as her aunt sees it, of an elegant space filled to the brim with tables and benches, carts and animals, and hundreds and hundreds of people. But in the distance, just below a light post, Glimmer can spy a pair of lovers, nestled together in the light of the blue moon.

“A party like no other, here in Brightmoon, tomorrow night. That gives us all of today and tomorrow to plan the party, and then the afternoon after, we finish setting up the festival. It’s a flawless outline.” Castaspella’s wondrous vision fades into motes of light that shimmer out of existence, revealing the sorceress with her hand to her chest and her head bowed. “Would that please your Highness?”

Glimmer’s face, twisted up in indecision, flits between pleased and concerned. After a few seconds, she caves: “Okay, okay!” She holds up her hands in defeat, “We’ll do it! But we should be fast! I’ll have to teleport to get-“

“No need! I already asked all of the princesses to come as fast as they can, and with all the roads open, it should take only a day or so!” Castaspella laughs when Glimmer’s face scrunches up in utter disbelief. “You’ve never travelled in a world without war, my dear, people can get around quite fast! Besides, I just knew you’d say yes! You always had my appreciation for a good party, you probably inherited it from me!” With a big grin, she adds, “Nothing will be spared for Micah’s big day!”

“Excuse me,” General Juliet interjects nervously, “But I laid out some maps in the war room. Perhaps-?”

Castaspella gasps, puts a hand on the soldier’s shoulder, and says, “You’re a genius, Juliet, I knew there was a reason I liked you, and now I realize it’s your military brilliance!”

The general, unsure how to respond, salutes again, but with way more intensity.

Glimmer smiles from ear to ear as an idea forms. “General,” she coos, “do we _definitely_ have to discuss this in the war room?”

The General shakes her head. “Of course not, your Highness. Although I did lay out those maps…”

Glimmer claps her hands and beams. “Perfect! I think we should have this meeting over coffee!”

Aunt Casta gasps, puts a hand in front of her face. “Coffee? In Brightmoon?! Well, I think there’s no greater sign war is over than that!”

“I found out there’s a bakery in town that sells coffee drinks! I showed it to Bow, and we LOVED it! Could we give out free coffee? I mean, all the food and drinks will be free, but _also_ the coffee!”

General Juliet nods, and says with an ease quite unlike herself, “I haven’t had any in years… but I used to love the stuff.” She scoffs, eyes closed, lost in thought. “Don’t know how much good it ever did me.”

Aunt Casta claps her hands, “Oh, Bow must have been so cute all hyped up on coffee! I agree with you though, Juliet, I just drink for the taste, myself: I’ve never felt anything from the stuff!” She looks at Juliet, smiles, and says aloud, “Well, let’s all head over for a little mid-morning pick-me-up!”

Glimmer’s face drops.

Glimmer’s head tilts.

“I’m sorry,” she says with a _super_ casual chuckle, “Why do you keep making it seem like coffee-“

_“HEY GLIMMER!”_

Screeching fast, Adora rockets by on long striding legs. Her eyes prickle with blue light.

"Adora?!"

"Hey Glimmer oh also hi Castaspella and General Juliet I’m just going for a run actually I’m looking for Catra I think I'm gonna tell her I… _feelings_ her but like _again do that_ but also maybe _a couple hundred times_ ha-ha okay buh-bye!" Adora sprints by, hand over her head, a huge grin plastered on her face. At the other end of the hall, Bow comes running into view, shouting her name, but by then Adora has rounded the corner and vanished deeper into the castle. 

General Juliet exhales through her nose. "Is this an emergency, or… normal?" Either answer, she decides, is bad.

As Bow comes closer, Glimmer reaches out to him. "Excuse me, but what _was_ that?!"

Bow, huffing and puffing, says, "I have no idea! We were drinking coffee and, well, _Adora_ was drinking coffee-"

"Wait." General Juliet crosses her arms. "Coffee is... I’m sorry, but, you both know that that stuff fills you with energy, correct? Excuse my brashness, but… but _that’s what coffee_ _does_."

A shadow passes over Glimmer’s face. Bow’s eyes widen.

Aunt Casta waves her hand and scoffs, “Juliet, please, only if you’ve never had it before! You don’t have enough faith!” The sorceress laughs. “Everyone knows what coffee does! I’m sure they didn’t give their friend any if she hadn’t had it _plenty_ of times in the past!”

Bow’s eyes dart to Glimmer.

So she tries to smile and she tries to laugh.

"Did I... did I not mention that?"

\--- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Adora skids to a stop in front of her own bedroom door.

She runs her hands along the sides of her head. 'Hair? Flawless.'

She smooths out her brilliant red coat. 'Wrinkles? Smooshed.'

Adora shoots a couple finger guns, tests out a few head nods. Last, but most certainly not least, she takes a deep breath, and breaks out a patented Adora-brand galaxy saving smile.

‘Confidence? ...completely out of control.’

\--- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Muffled by the walls, the sounds of pounding feet mix with hearty (sometimes whispered) cries of, "Adora?!"

Eventually, Glimmer and Bow appear in front of Catra's room, but the door is open. No one's inside.

The two share a short, worried look, before vanishing from sight.

Glimmer and Bow appear with a crash in Adora's room. Bow has his hands covering his face, trying not to look, but Glimmer swings around, eyes wide. She whispers sharply, " _Adora_ ," whirls around, but there's no one in the room.

"Sparkles? Midriff?"

Correction.

Next to the waterfall, statuesque as ever, stands Catra: a big fluffy robe around her shoulders and a confused look on her face. "I get that you guys all slept together sometimes, but I think my showers are where I draw the line, _squad-mates_."

Bow, eyes still covered, stammers out a thin, "Uh, here…? Glimmer? Where are we that there's a shower?"

Glimmer smiles, tilts her head, and says bluntly, "Catra! Good morning! We were just looking for, uh... I'm... sure you’re…” Glimmer looks at Bow, but no words emerge. Out of options, she looks at the cat, puts on a serious face, and declares, “There is important castle business, and it’s important, because it’s... an important _mission_!" She elbows Bow.

All he can stammer out is, "T-the mission!"

"An _important_ mission," Glimmer reiterates, "Which we need Adora for! And we can’t wait! But uh… just Adora! You can relax! Take the day off, ha-ha!”

Catra’s face is blank, eyes half-closed. “Wow, thanks. Maybe I’ll use this free time to take a shower.”

“Yes! Do! If you don't mind, we're gonna go get her! Come on Bow," she adds in a rush, grabbing him.

"Uh-huh, yeah, hey, quick question?" Catra puts her hand on her hip. "What's the mission about?"

"Well-"

Catra holds a finger up. "Your Highness… I think I'd like to hear _Bow_ explain it."

Bow trembles like a leaf in the wind, stammers out a short, "Uh... well..." He looks to Glimmer, but when he does, Catra tilts her head, eyebrows perched at the top of her head. “Uh… well… you see…”

The lock clicks!

The door bursts open!

Adora, stupid grin across her face, bellows, "Catra! I've come to... awaken you from your slumber! Your passion! I am here to awaken your passion… from slumber!" Adora puts her hand on her hip, says, triumphant, “Good morning, guh-gir- _girlfrie_ … **_good morning Catra!”_**

Catra crosses her arms. Frowns. "Wow. Thank you. The curse has been lifted. My hero.”

Adora smirks. Glimmer and Bow haven’t even crossed her radar, standing there in the middle of the room (which is… pretty embarrassing for everyone involved, yeah).

Catra takes a little breath in, and sighs a bit. Her expression softens. “Look, can you gather up your buds and clear out? …please? I'm trying to take a shower."

Adora's eyebrows fly to the top of her head as she shouts, "Here?! I mean, of course! Ha! Ha-ha! I was gonna come earlier in the day and wake you up but I got delayed because uh because of stuff that was totally outside of my control which was what kept me from you know going any faster because trust me I felt like I was going pretty fast all things considered and actually I almost knocked over King… King uh…"

Adora sees Glimmer winking and twitching like mad, ferociously trying to catch her eye, Bow’s arm squeezed tight in her hand. Adora’s face makes it clear that this is _one hundred and ten percent not according to plan._

"Adora! There you are! Silly! We should go! Remember?” Glimmer’s smile is stretched thin. “The _mission_?"

Glimmer says this all with a carefully perfect casual cadence.

So Adora blinks.

And then Adora _gasps_.

"The mission! Yes, the mission, how could I forget we had a mission?! We gotta go, alright, come on, Bow, Glimmer, as She-Ra, I have a duty, ugh, can't believe I forgot a mission! Okay! Catra, I... hey, Catra, I uh…" Adora stares at her for just a second. She can feel her heart thump in her chest like a cathedral bell. To Adora, Catra has an extra elegance today that makes all her words dry up in her throat: an elegance that Adora fails to realize she will see in Catra everyday for the rest of their lives. However Adora doesn’t know this, not yet, so she can only slip on a bashful smile and say, "I'll see you later today, okay?"

"Okay dummy." Catra smirks and waves, a little blush to her cheeks.

The three _'voip'_ out of existence just as quickly as they arrived.

“Weirdos,” Catra says with a lazy smile. She stares at the spot where they were standing and slowly toys with the belt of her robe.

A lonesome haze fills her face.

She thinks of Adora… of her smile, and of her eyes… the way she says goodbye…

Catra imagines she’s leaving again, but this time… before she goes… 

“Adora…”

“ _Dummy_ , I…”

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


	3. Under-Caffeinated

With a little 'pop', Adora, Bow, and Glimmer appear next to Darla, their feet hitting the cold masonry with a little click. "Alright," Adora says, fists curled, "Two questions: What's the mission? And why can't Catra come _slash_ should we go back for Catra **slash** can we please go back for Catra?"

“Adora, that was your room?! Why was Catra there?!”

“Uuuuuh… wow, that’s a great question, Bow!” Adora stretches her smile thin, eyes big, expression _super casual_. “I was also wondering that… too!”

Glimmer feels her energy simultaneously deflating and spiking, but when she opens her mouth to speak, a voice from the back of the workshop slices through the air like a power tool.

"Look, Emily! Friends!" Purple tendrils flick out from the workbench, and the familiar figure flings forward, a burning blow torch in hand. Around her feet lie heaps of half-assembled mechanical wonders and terrors, little machines whirling and analyzing at breakneck speeds, malformed bots and war machines and festival classics and culinary tools mashed together in unholy union. She clicks her blow torch off, she flicks her welding mask up, and Entrapta brightly says, "Can I help you guys? I told Darla she was on vacation but she’ll still take you places as long as she gets to pick the music!"

Adora drops into battle-mode, sword out, still only half paying attention.

"No, we're fine," Bow insists. "There’s no emergency. We’re here because Adora drank too much coffee, and it's making her all hyped up. With the added bonus!" Bow turns desperately to Glimmer. "That she thinks there's a mission! Because we lied about it!"

“There’s no mission?” Adora’s sword flutters back into an armband as she says, “Permission to leave the not-mission and hang out with… nobody?”

“I can help with a mission,” Entrapta says, “Especially if it’s not a real mission! I always mess up those! It’d be nice to have a _fake_ one to practice _techniques._ ”

"We did not _lie_ ," Glimmer protests. “I’m the Queen! I pick our missions! And our mission is…”

They turn to see Adora stretching out her quads. The blonde shoots the others a contemptible combo of finger gun and cocky grin.

“Make Adora not do that.”

Entrapta gasps. "Oh, I've had coffee before!"

"Really?" The pair lean in, Adora still stretching, and Bow whispers, “How long will she be like this?”

Entrapta nods, "Mhmm! Apparently, coffee drinks can make you stay up longer without sleeping, and more waking means more working! Plus, just as importantly, one of the most famous kinds of coffee are these adorable little tiny drinks called espressos! So, I had six of those in an hour, which is apparently a lot for a first test… I assumed it was just normal coffee spread out into tiny cups, but it turns out espresso is like a super powerful coffee! After that I didn't feel so good but to answer your question the sensation passed after a few hours!” Entrapta nods. “On the plus side, I got a lot of work done around the lab! I fixed almost as many things as I broke!" Entrapta smiles. Bow groans.

"Entrapta," Adora suddenly says, slamming her fist into her palm really hard. "Listen. I've been talking to Bow, and I've come to a conclusion that we gotta say the things we feel to those that are important to us, we gotta speak from the heart and let them know they're important."

"At least your advice was good," Glimmer whispers.

"I'm gonna tackle this head on, Entrapta, and I do it as a friend, and I do it as She-Ra for a Princess, gotta help out my Princesses: you... plus someone else." Adora spreads out her fingers and raises her eyebrows. "Is there anything you'd like to comment on that?"

Entrapta turns red, then pulls down her welding mask. "Oh, jeez, Adora, that's sweet of you to, uh, ask, but uh... oh, you know I'm not exactly an expert with... people..."

Bow opens his mouth to speak, but Adora cuts in with, "Nonsense, Entrapta! I've learned that love...? Love waits for no one, you gotta grab it! Like a... like a rampaging bot!" Entrapta's face lights up under her mask. "And uh... do whatever you do with your tools and... open the bot up? Don't do that to anyone we know, actually, never mind… but you need that reckless intensity!" Adora squeezes her fist, wild magic in her eyes. "And you're great at intensity!"

Entrapta smiles. A big wide smile that fills her face from side to side. She gently produces a little gem from some unseen pocket and looks at it with a deep reverence. "Do you really think so?"

"Entrapta, Entrapta, Entrapta... of course I-oh!" Adora's eyes light up, full of little stars. "Cool thing! Cool little thing! Can I see? Please? I said please, you gotta now, please?"

Entrapta hesitates, her face hidden behind the large metal mask. Finally, her tiny voice murmurs, "Okay," and Adora plucks the gem from her fingers like a grape from the vine. She holds it up to the light and squints. Then she stops. 

Her eyes drop. “Oh. First One’s tech.” Adora’s face betrays a little of her disappointment. “Is that all you’re working on? Or,” she gasps, “Is it for the mission?! Can I see?!”

She bounces over to the workbench in the back of the room, Entrapta close at her heels, poking and prodding at the various different bits of First One’s tech and asking questions like ‘what’s this for?’ and ‘is this stronger than me?’ Bow and Glimmer whisper among themselves, but they can't seem to decide if this is _probably fine_ or _definitely not gonna end well_ , both stopping just short of mentioning the name of a certain cat. Suddenly, in the midst of her exploration, Adora stops and lights up. She tosses the little purple gem over her shoulder and into Entrapta’s terrified hands, and as if it were made of gold, she lifts up a little sliver of a shard of a First One’s something that’d been sitting on the bench.

"Why do I remember you so well, you weird little guy?" Adora turns it over in her hand. The way it catches the light is... strangely intoxicating.

Entrapta stammers, "Well, uh, it's actually a little tiny bit of the First One's disk that... _infected_ you that one time. But I promise that it shouldn't do that anymore! It’s definitely probably 100% most likely safe now!” Entrapta quickly shouts all this with a defensive tone as Glimmer’s face fills with increasing disbelief. “The clean-up at the old dig site only just mailed my effects back to Dryl! I was obviously a little surprised to see this! More than a little! But, well… I didn’t wanna leave it alone, considering it was… you know…” Entrapta shrugs.

Adora looks at the little shining piece carefully, then smiles and laughs. "Oh yeaaah! Heh, that was a pretty embarrassing day for your pal Adora, not gonna lie."

Bow vigorously shakes his head and says, “Entrapta, I think you should have 100% left that thing alone.”

“More like left it in the snow,” Glimmer fires. “It almost got Adora killed! Why would you bring it here?!”

“No, no, no, I swear, it’s been thoroughly neutralized! See?” Entrapta gestures to Adora, who continues to calmly twist the disk shard in her hand. “I couldn’t get any power out of it either, but having seen what the material can do…” Entrapta’s fists tighten into little balls, her body scrunching up with excess energy as she says, “Oooh, how could I not?! Look at it! If it was even a fifth as effective as it was as a solid disc, this shard could generate three times the power output of this entire gem!”

“It’s evil!” Glimmer insists, but Entrapta shakes her head.

“Tech can’t be evil! Look at Emily!” The happy bot whirls around, beeps. Glimmer ruffles a bit, but when Bow’s hand gently lands on her shoulder, the fight floats out of her, and the queen finds herself nodding some very tacit approval as Adora continues to poke the little shard.

“So,” Adora muses, “As super cool as all of this stuff is, I’m curious about the little gem you have? That little quirky thing there, ah?” Adora smirks, points at Entrapta’s hands. “Just, no big deal, but uh… what’s the big deal with that?”

Entrapta lifts the welding mask up and smiles. "O-oh, well, this is just a power crystal. It’s actually very similar to the disk, but I can’t exactly piece out how. I was using it for… a project, and I thought I'd lost it, until... _someone_ found it for me." Entrapta is lost in her memories, and her eyes almost close as she luxuriates in remembering the strange little stories connected to her strange little battery.

Glimmer asks, "Okay but... how much do you like that person?"

"Glimmer."

"What? Adora's right, I'm curious!"

Entrapta throws the mask back down. "What am I supposed to do when friends are like this?"

Adora shrugs. "I actually kind of like it, so..." She shrugs again. "I deal with it or run away, ha-ha!” A pause. “Don’t… don’t run away though, we can just ask them to stop."

Glimmer stops. Her eyes narrow. "Adora."

The blonde looks up. Grins. "…'sup?"

"Are you... normal?"

Adora looks around and, if you can believe it, she just sort of _chuckles_. "Huh. Yeah, actually! Although I felt like my heart was gonna explode for a minute back there, ha-ha! Oh man, I gotta tell you, looking back on it?"

The life leaves her eyes. "I almost super embarrassed myself in front of Catra."

Bow smiles. "But you didn't… mostly! And you're welcome!” Bow puts his hand to his chest, and pronounces, “The Best Friend Squad came to the rescue, naturally!"

Glimmer scoffs, but grins. "Cool it! We didn't save her from dying."

Adora snorts. "Dying of embarrassment, am I right?"

"Fascinating...!" Entrapta's mask is off, her massive eyes glued to the gem in Adora's hand like lightning to the lightning rod.

“Huh-wha?”

"It seems that by holding on to the gem, the infectious sub-routines that originally transmitted via direct cable interface can still impact a host subject, without any visible connectors! It’s not at all like before!” She spins around, holds up Adora’s hand, and starts speaking quickly into a tape-recorder, very quickly, everything happens very fast, she says, “This is incredible! (Hang on keep that there will you thanks). _Power Crystal Unexpected Thing Number… Four-ish!_ The crystal is actually bleeding power, but without noticeable interfacing cables! All points of contact on the crystal are accounted for, which means if the power gem is bleeding into the surrounding circuitry… it would explain why Hordak’s suit is throttling its own power past the 9-hour mark! Meaning my efficiency metrics are totally out of-"

"Wait wait wait," Adora frowns, eyebrows scrunching together. "You used this for… Hordak? So _Hordak_...?" Adora tilts her head. Rolls the thought around inside her head. She finally whispers, "Hordak, Entrapta… I feel like I might be 100% behind this?"

Bow's eyes twinkle, little hearts in the middle as he bounces up and down on the balls of his feet. He shoots Entrapta two thumbs up, the inventor stammering and trying to explain that he’s her _partner_ , but, oh gosh, not her, oh jeez.

Queen Glimmer, however, only frowns.

At first at Entrapta, the queen's expression an accidentally honest mix of complete surprise and unrestrained disapproval. But then her eyes slide to the side. Her face fills with concern and confusion: urgently, she asks, "Uh, sorry, but Entrapta? As much as Hordak’s…” She swings an arm, manages to say, “…a real _diamond_ in the _rough_ : is that disk bit thing going to stop making Adora loopy? Now that she's not hyped up anymore?"

Entrapta, thoroughly distraught, says, "I don't see why it would! Why?"

They all turn to Adora. 

Her eyes are half-lidded, her smile crooked, her plush head pomf sagging in the middle. The warrior's feet look as if they'll slide out from under her at any moment.

"Ooooooh... I see." With a curly purple hair, Entrapta plucks the sliver of tech from Adora's hands.

The savior of Eternia sways back and forth, and lands with a little _plomp_ on the ground. “Wow that… you really feel it once the coffee is not… it’s woosh! Hahaha!” She flops on her back and sighs, “I feel _great_.”

Entrapta thinks, brow furrowed. “Huh. I… maybe should have done that a lot sooner." Bow and Glimmer groan.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 


	4. Party Planning (and Unplanning)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter for the time being, but I do have another chapter almost finished. It actually has a gag I'm quite proud of, so I simply must share it at some point, and soon.

Mermista stands in the foyer of the castle. She thumbs through a book and blinks, half-heartedly. She looks up at the balcony for any, say, Brightmoonians to appear.

But it's as empty as when she arrived.

She drops the book. _Thwack,_ she just doesn't give a splash, and like a wet fish the halfway finished novella bounces off the shiny gold top of her shoe and flops open, pages akimbo. One of the open pages shows flames. _Lots_ of them.

“I’ve been standing here," Mermista unveils tremendously, "for twenty! Minutes! I'm almost done with my book!"

Nothin'.

Glimmer? Bow?” She looks around. “Adora? The… the magic witch aunt (whatever your name is, Makeamagic or something)?"

Don't all answer at once now, people.

"...ugh, where are any of you?! I actually came here on my own, too! Like, why? Glimmer can teleport! And I still walked?!” She waves a hand around, looks at every entrance.

Suddenly, the top door opens.

And Mermista frowns.

Because from the door slinks her _favorite_ person. Looking as _wonderful_ as ever:

"Catra.”

The cat doesn’t seem surprised as she rolls her eyes and casts her lazy gaze down to the bottom floor. “Hey, if it isn't splish-splash!"

“ _Mermista_.”

“Hm. I was close.” Catra smirks.

Mermista doesn’t so much as blink.

Catra retreats, brow knit. “Sorr… so why are you screaming in the doorway?”

Mermista says each syllable separately: “I was invited? And I’ve been squatting here forever and I was getting pretty tired of it.” She looks Catra up and down. “Kind of like how I feel talking to you.”

Catra scowls. Catra tries not to let it show, but she expects this. She always expects this, so it won’t ever hurt when it happens. And it doesn't hurt at all now. “Look, you don’t like me? _Fine_. Have fun waiting for your ‘secret mission’.” She turns, tries to walk away.

But Mermista scoffs. “It’s just a party, not a ‘secret mission’.”

Catra slows. Then stops. Then turns.

She creeps back to the edge of the balcony until her eyes just peek over the railing, only enough to see Mermista’s smug expression. “What do you mean… party?”

Mermista smirks. “I was told we’re planning a party, and they apparently want some water, I guess. Something about a big ‘welcome home’ festival.” She reaches down to pick up her book and adds, “I mean, it’s not exactly a big mystery who it’s gonna be for. Me and Frosta are probably gonna have to make a big ice sculpture of Glimmer's da-” Mermista looks up.

“…hello? …seriously?!”

\--- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Entrapata’..." Adora staggers forward and throws a strong arm onto Entrapta's tiny shoulders. "You and Hordak? Our Horde boy? I'm all about it." She leans back, smiles dreamily, and whispers, "Oh, I see it! See it so, so clear, you guys are gonna be..." She holds up her hands. Gasps. Points a finger. "You two... I'm rooting for you. That’s what turned him good, love! 100% trust the guy now! Total trust, despite, everything… uh..." Adora lifts her fist in the air, triumphant. “Love! Love… love! Love.”

. . . . .

Bow and Glimmer watch from the side, arms crossed, faces grim. Bow, through barely opened lips, asks, “Do you think Catra will be mad at Entrapta? ...at us?"

_“I love love!”_

“That depends on when Adora turns back,” Glimmer says, turning to Bow with a dangerous look in her eyes. “If Adora turns back before Catra finds out she was all, you know…”

Bow’s face screws up with worry. He says grimly, “Glimmer, I don’t know…”

“I know! I know!" Glimmer puts her hands up defensively. "But we wouldn’t be lying about anything! Just… specific-not-mention-ing! That’s not even a word, right? It’s not like she said hey, don’t get my girlfriend all loopy and weird, but then cure her and bring her back without telling me! Soooo, I think we’re-”

_“I lllllllove my girlfriend!”_

_“Bow? Glimmer? She’s still holding my shoulder!”_

_“Entrapta she’s soooo pretty!”_

_"Uh… yes?"_

_"Whoawhatareyou making moves on 'er, huh? You wanna go?"_

_"Guys?!"_

_“Relaaaaax, ha-ha!”_

The heart-shaped bottoms of Bow’s boots shake so hard his eyes rattle.

“Bow! It’s fine!” Glimmer grabs his hand in hers. “Don’t worry, Adora will probably be back to normal in… in an hour! Max! And Catra will be totally cool with us and won’t be mad for any reason! Please.” She squeezes his fingers, adds, “I just really don’t want to give Catra any other reasons to hate us… and besides, it’d be time with you, and I need to tell you… ugh, _everything_.”

Bow sighs, squeezes Glimmer’s hands, and nods. “Okay, okay. I trust your judgment. We won’t tell Catra Adora was… weird." He adds with a sly grin, " _But..._ we should keep an eye on Adora, right? I mean, that’s what best friends do!"

Glimmer smiles, leans in close. “Come on, let’s bring her up to my room! It’ll be just like old times, finally! I’ll even teleport and get snacks and if she decides to say more cute stuff about Catra, I mean…!” The two lock eyes and share a wicked smile. They look up.

The empty depot is quiet, except for the soft _bzzz_ of Entrapta’s machines. Not a single blonde hair remains. Entrapta appears from behind her workbench all the way in the back. “Oh, she left! Did you guys not notice that she left?”

“I… probably should have mentioned she left.”

“…sorry. About that.”

\--- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“A party? Well, gee, wildcat, I’d love to go to a party, let me pack my bags!” Scorpia’s little features on the tracker pad are overflowing with joy as she adds, “Ha-ha, just kidding! I don’t have anything! I can be there by this afternoon, to be honest!”

“Scorpia,” Catra whispers fiercely into the tracker pad, “No, _I’m_ not throwing a party. Has anyone else told you _they_ were throwing a party?”

Scorpia scoffs, says, “Well jeez, you think I wouldn’t have called you the instant I was going to Brightmoon?! I love parties, I’d have totally help set up if someone told me! …but oh! Hold on! Idea forming!” Scorpia thinks hard. Nods. “After careful consideration, totally hypothetically, but if I’m being honest with me, I think your pal Scorpia would also love surprising you!” Catra jumps in her skin. “What do you say, you talked me into talking you into talking me into coming to visit, right? I’ll pack my bag, eh?”

“No. Stop. Scorpia?” She leans up to the screen and hisses, “Trust me: I _hate_ surprises. You have got to warn me if you hear anything about a party. I can **not** do a party right now.”

“Aw come on, wildcat! Parties are fun! You know what, it could be like a big ta-da for you!” Catra’s stomach fills with butterflies and rocks. 'Hey there everybody, have we got a treat for you, huh? Come meet our friend, Cat-“

Catra shouts, “That’s not how it’ll go!”

Scorpia looks surprised. Utter shock all over her face, like the wind's been knocked out of her so hard all the chipper little words died in her throat.

 _Oh no,_ Catra thinks. She's stressing and she needs a second, so she takes a second… she breathes in… she breaths out... she breaths in... “Look. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to get… _frustrated_.” Breathes out… breathes in… “But just… if anyone asks you, you have to make sure they aren’t doing this. Or just, make the party about someone else! Anyone, else! And then don’t tell anyone I’m coming, either.”

Scorpia raises a tiny pixelated claw to her tracker pad face, concerned. “Well… jeez, Catra, you know I’ll do that for my pal! But I don’t understand… why don’t you ask Adora to do this for you?”

Catra sighs, and the little edges of anger grow sharper in her stomach.

“...Catra?”

Catra looks at Scorpia’s face on the screen and tries to smile. “I know… I know. I have to talk to her. I’m just…” She draws her feet up on the bed, tucks her knees in close. “I thought Adora would know me better than this…” She looks out the window, thinks of Adora’s smile… her eyes…

“Oh… Uh oh… Well, uh, yeah, hey, wildcat!” Scorpia smiles. “Adora may just… Adora probably just didn’t realize you wouldn’t want a party! Ha-ha, hey, I’m positive, you let her know about how you’re feeling, and ding, it’s done! No party! Okay? Definitely an honest little mistake! And hey, even if you don't, I'll make sure to let her know when she calls! No worries!"

Catra doesn't move. She sighs. “Yeah. Thanks, Scorpia.”

Scorpia jumps in, “And hey, while we’re on the topic, does this mean it’s okay for me to come visit? Because, see, I know you needed some time to get set up in Brightmoon, but,” Scorpia swings her hand around and says, “There’s nothing in the Fright Zone anymore! Tada! Ha-ha, really! I cannot stress this enough, it is: So boring! So, so boring! But hey! If there’s a party coming up, maybe I’ll just pack up early and leave now, huh? I mean, nobody’s exactly desperate for my humor here at the moment! What do you say wildcat? Huh? Please! Please say yes, I’m begging ya’ here, wildcat. Ha-ha!”

Catra, who’s been rubbing the bridge of her nose this entire time, nods quietly and grits her teeth. “ _…_ of _course_ …you can ...visit _now_.”

Scorpia’s unfiltered joy, even though the tracker pad, fills Catra with dread.

\--- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Glimmer and Bow stalk the halls, twisting and turning, looking high and looking low. After what feels like forever, Bow shakes his head at Glimmer. She sighs, grabs his arms, and ‘ _voip_ ’… they vanish into the air just as one of the doors fly open.

“Oh gosh… I don’t know…” Perfuma holds a hand to her chest, fingers wrapping around a single peach colored rose. “You don’t think… I’m not one of the interesting Princesses, you know? I’m… the flower one. Even if I’m strong, I’ll never be… cool.”

Adora tumbles through the door, her legs struggling to keep her upper body off the floor. “I am… dead serious with you here, super serious, always, listen…” Adora puts a hand on Perfuma’s shoulder as she leans in a little too close. “We’re friends, okay? Friends believe in friends, and I know that that's true because I! Believe in you! And we’re friends! And I believe in you and we’re… you know, like that! And you can do it all, plant lady, cool plant lady just, crush and smash and, ha-ha man, you just go wild out there, woo!”

Perfuma squeezes her hands and knits her eyebrows together, having mostly listened to the important parts of what Adora had just said. “But how do I know that I won’t… or what if... oooh, you’re right, and I know that you're right! I believe in you, and in all of our friends, and I should be just as nice to myself! I've done stuff I never thought I could do, so... why not?!” She pulls Adora into a powerful hug, lifting her off her feet as she says, “Thank you so much, Adora! You’re an incredible person!”

Adora’s doesn't say anything, but she groans in a way that sort of sounds like 'you're welcome.'

Perfuma sets lil' She-Ra down and flings open the foyer door with reckless abandon. “You hear that, world? Perfuma’s on the warpath!”

“ _Thank you, finally_ ,” Mermista moans back, lying on the foyer floor.

“I know,” Pefuma says, “I’m excited too!”

“Where the heck were you guys?!" Mermista folds her arms and looks up at the balcony. Perfuma is waving, but Adora is splayed out across the banister like she’s…

“Wait,” Mermista asks, “Is she…?”

Mermista gasps, points at Adora, and calls out, “No way!”

Perfuma tilts her head and sweetly smiles. "Mermista! Are you here to help set up for the-"

“Mermiss. Mermam. _Merms_.” Adora rolls over, almost goes tumbling over the edge, but instead gently begins to slide down the banister. “I gotta… we gotta talk, okay? She-Ra to Sea-Ra, okay?" She bumps into the bottom of the banister and throws herself to her feet with a few staggering steps. She looks far too serious-faced as she stares Mermista in the eyes and says bluntly, "You."

“Yeah...” Mermista permits. “Me.”

“And Sea Hawk.”

“This conversation is not happening.”

Adora throws back her head and gasps. “Come ooooon, I’ve been on a roll, let’s go! I’ve been doing… _great_ advice. _All_ day. Listen, why aren’t you more open about your relationship with Sea Hawk? Is it trauma? Because I gotta tell you,” she snorts, “I get that.”

Mermista rebukes Adora’s haphazard attempt to throw her arm around the princess’ shoulder. She crosses her arms and scowls. You know the look. “We are not here to discuss me and my anything, got that?” Mermista sharpens her gaze to a killing point. “At least I’m not… _whatevering_ with the enemy.”

Adora pokes at Mermista's belly: “ _Boop._ ”

"Stop it!"

"Talk about Seeea Haaawk!” She tries to put her arm around Mermista’s shoulder again. “Did he set your boat on fire, but, you know, with his-OOF!" Mermista shoves Adora off of her (and with vicious efficiency, the lush landing on the floor like a bouncy ball).

"What's wrong with you?!" Mermista asks, arms crossed. "And I'm gonna lose my mind if you say what I _think_ you're gonna say!"

Adora raises a finger defensively, points at Mermista's face, and delivers coolly, "I drank a bunch of _chocolate_ and _milk_ for _breakfast_." With this, Adora sinks into the floor with a bubbling giggle, but Perfuma suddenly catches her by the armpits, tries to hoist her to her feet.

Adora goes limp in her arms, head tilted back. The plant princess groans, "Adora...? A little help...?"

"I'm dead."

"You're NOT dead."

"I'm DEAD, Mermee."

"Do NOT-"

"Oh my gosh, _Mermee_!" Perfuma smiles as she holds Adora. "That one is so cute!"

"Izn't tho'?" Adora can hardly lift her arm up, her entire body a motionless hunk of clay in Perfuma's hands.

"You know," Perfuma nervously declares, "Now that you point it out, Adora IS acting rather... what's a nice word for bad and also weird?"

Adora blows a raspberry and jumps up to her feet. Back ramrod straight, she snaps her fingers and says, "Pssh, what? No way, I'm cool as... you can do it! That's not right. Cool as... me! No! Ugh, whatever, I’m at least as cool as She-Ra!”

"Pleeeaaaase stooop," Mermista groans. It’s all too much, too much! If there’s anything Adora can do to Mermista (and get away with it), wasting her time is _not_ the thing to try first! Perfuma worriedly reaches out for the wobbly hero, but Adora tucks into a roll. _Smack_ , her shoulder hits the floor, she gets her whole body into it, she tumbles perfectly into a squat by the door. Then lands with a _plop_ on her back, feet tangled up.

"Ha-ha!" She snorts, "I tried to walk right AND left! Ha!" Adora rolls over on her stomach, feet still twisted behind her, her whole body twirled up. "Mmm, Catra's right, I AM an idiot, hahaha!"

Mermista's face fills with understanding, a furious but quiet sort, eyebrows furrowing as her eyes dart to the upper balcony. "Catra. I **knew** it, the most **obvious** suspect. Sometimes the culprit is the person that you thought it was all along, to trick you, because you think it won't be them because it's so obvious and they don't have a motive." Mermista closes her fist and nods. "Sometimes it's totally them."

Perfuma cradles Adora in her arms on the floor. "Mermimuh, Purrfuma," Adora gasps, reaching for her chest, eyes to the sky through the skylight. "I'm so unbeliev-able-ably in… like… affection with Catra. My entire chest is beating with feelings for her, like an echo of my heart beating for blood." Adora rests her hand on Perfuma's hand. "One time... she _meowed_."

Mermista groans, throughly agonized.

Perfuma's eyes flicker back and forth, she pulls her hand away, looks at Mermista. "I think we should get Bow and Glimmer!"

"But you can't tell anyone I told you that," Adora says, hands on Perfuma's face. Perfuma tries to untangle herself, pulling Adora's hands away, but the powerful warrior is pawing at her head like a little kid. "You gotta promise and also can I braid your hair?"

Perfuma stands up, Adora stands up, but Mermista pushes the two princesses apart. "Okay, ha-ha, funny, but seriously blondie, where are your friends when we need-?"

"Mermista, why are you so. Cool." Adora's face wells up. "But you can't be nice to Catra?"

Mermista scowls. "I'm not talking about your... buddy when you're being this gross about her."

Perfuma gasps. "Now that's-"

"She went through it all, Mermee, she needs time to be better more. Shadow Weaver, me leaving... Prime..." Adora hardens her resolve. "If it was bad? She went through it, Mer-"

"If it was bad, she did it." Mermista scowls, her face twisted. "She sacked Salineas, _She-Ra_. I don't know if you forgot the whole thing being red with huge towers of smoke billowing out, but surprise, I didn't! But who cares when it's not Brightmoon!" Mermista slips into a place of icy cold resentment that is altogether alien to her friends as she says through gritted teeth, "Some people don't get to be my friend. Ever."

A faint shimmering sound flutters into their ears. Above their heads, Glimmer and Bow ' _voip_ ' into existence, shouting as they land in a big tangled heap of people. Glimmer looks down at Mermista's fuming-mad features flattened into the flagstones, as Bow looks up to see Adora's eyes filled with tears, her lips trembling more and more each second.

Perfuma, crushed at the bottom, says with a strained voice, "Oh good... you're here!"

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Surpriiiise!" Scorpia's eyes are full of firework ba- _booms_ and star shaped ta- _das_ , Catra's bedroom door lazily swinging behind her. She says, "Huh? Huh? And I know, you said you hate surprises, but! I thought since it was okay if I came over to visit, you wouldn't mind if I came over to visit super-fast! Huh?" Scorpia wipes a pincer on her shirt in satisfaction, adds, "And, besides, to be perfectly honest, I wasn't really in-in the Fright Zone? I mean you called and yes, I was in the Fright Zone, but mostly I've been spending time with Perfuma in uh... oh what's it... Uh... aaaaaaaaaah, you know, in her kingdom! Plant kingdom! You remember, we tried to capture it a couple times, ha-ha!" Scorpia puts down her bag as she muses, "Obviously I wasn't gonna stay there the whole time, just while you were getting set up here. I was committed, I wasn't gonna be a problem, I totally got it! You said, 'Scorpia, you're a good friend, maybe even a great friend, but I need my distance,' and hey! I get it! Do you remember, I said, 'Catra, of course! Anything for a great friend like you!' But then I was in the area, so, couldn't help but make a little stop and see some plants and trees, ha-ha, right? I think that's their big thing! And I know it's been a while since then, but hey, valuable time with close friends is so hard to come by, and big plus, Perfuma didn't kick me out! Hahaha! But," she acquiesces, "Since Perfuma had to go somewhere, I was headed back to the Fright Zone when you rang, which, wildcat, let me tell you, NOT a short walk! We'd done that trip so many times, huh, but you don't really appreciate the skiffs until, uh oh!" She grins. "You're miles away from home! Hahaha, but it's okay, I kind of don't even live there. Sort of! I don't even know if my house still exists!" She laughs. "So! We're practically neighbors, huh bud? Hey! Have you ever had a sleepover? I mean I know in the Horde every day was kind of a sleepover, but..."

Scorpia pauses.

Since the moment Scorpia threw the door open (with excellent dramatic flair, she notes), Catra has been pacing back and forth between her bed and the balcony. The blinds are pulled closed, and the duvet untouched. Scorpia considers, possibly even concedes, that Catra may have been pacing like this before she got here.

"Hey, uh, Catra? Are you okay? I'm getting a lot of uh-oh energy coming off of you."

Catra stops.

Scorpia hears breath sharply catch in her throat as the cat turns to look her in the eye. Catra's face is a particular brand of distress Scorpia hasn't seen in a little while, but is by no means unrecognizable.

"What's wrong, wildcat?"

"I need you to... to spy on Adora."

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"My girlfriends'a caaaaat and you have to be nice to herrrr!" Adora, misty-eyed and heartbroken, flops her body over Darla's captain's chair. Adora is... well she's...

Let's just say 'she's been better'.

Her hand reaches for her chest, where she feels like her heart should be exploding with all sorts of emotions and feelings, but instead, all she can feel are the cucumber cool waves of comfort washing over her body. They start in her head and drip through her brain like spilled molasses, her whole body full of sticky and gloopy ichor. The only other option is the ley lines of fury that ring She-Ra in her mind.

"What is even the deal with Mermista, right? Like, Catra is... actually so good... I... even people who don't have eyes... would know! She's so... so... great and smart and strong and also like... also... she... Darla, don't tell anyone this, but... we haven't... you know like... Faces. Or like... we... I wanna..." Adora scrunches her whole body slowly into a small ball, smaller and smaller, eventually hiding her face behind her knees as she sharply whispers, " _I wanna kiss her way more and she's so pretty and I wanna kiss her a really really lot okay that's it._ ".

Darla only says in response, "Affirmative, Captain. Log set to 'private'. Please feel free to continue to vent."

"Ugh, I'm not captain," Adora slurs. "She-Ra is captain! But... She-Ra is maaaad," she moans, rolling into the back of the uncomfortable seat. "She-Ra is normally blue... She-Ra... red? Ha-ha, it's like, what? Am I right...?"

She looks up, and the empty room hasn't changed. Adora groans, folds her whole body into a ball, and shouts, "Darlaaa! Can we do some flips or something?!"

\- - - - +

"Darla apparently has a built-in function to block administrative access to an admin when they're.... uh... working something out," Bow says weakly. "But she should be back to normal soon!"

"You hope." Mermista scowls. She and Perfuma stand against the side of Darla, sparks from Entrapta's tinkering occasionally surviving long enough to float over.

"Uh... it's not an exact science," Bow starts, but Glimmer reaches over and takes his hand.

"Adora's been like this before, it's just usually... faster for her to get out! But she'll be fine! Bow and I will watch out for her! Plus, what can she do, she's cooped up in Darla with nowhere to go!"

Entrapta leans back and calls out, "Actually, I don't know if that 'admin lock' is fool-proof. I mean, I wasn't an administrator, and now Darla loves me! Isn't that right, Darla?"

Darla doesn't respond, but instead, the leftmost landing leg suddenly retracts by a foot. All assembled gasp as the ship lurches, angles all akimbo.

Glimmer grabs Bow's arm, vanishes in a mist of purple sparks and motes, the pair suddenly appear in the cockpit, but just as their feet touch the ground, they slide out from under them. The pair land with an 'oof' on the floor, and begin gently sliding down the slope.

Under their feet, they see Adora, crumpled up against the wall. Bow gasps, and Glimmer reaches out, but just as they land next to her, she flips around with a huge grin.

"Darla, the other way now!" Adora calls out, voice thick with joy.

The ship shudders, but then the floor levels out. Just as Glimmer tries to speak, the opposite landing leg retracts, and the three are sent sliding and spinning to the other side of the room. Adora's hands are in the air the entire time, the pickled warrior laughing and cheering, even as she lands in a heap with her friends, legs all tangled together.

"Guys, I figured out the best thing ever, Darla-!"

Glimmer jumps up, shouts, "No! Stop!"

Bow, shoulder crushing against the wall, calls out, "Darla, can we please level the cockpit? My arm is getting squished here."

Adora moans, "Noooo, come ooooon, you left me aloooone! Let me fuuuuun!"

Glimmer fumes, says, "Adora! No more slides!"

The blonde puffs out her cheeks, narrows her eyes... and finally grumbles, "Fiiiine. Darlaaaa."

The ship heaves a little ho, rumbles, and slowly levels out.

Bow heaves a little groan and slowly rolls onto his side, murmurs, "Gimme... a second..."

Glimmer sighs, stands up, and brushes herself off. She grabs the archer and the swordsman by the arms, takes a quick breath, and ' _voip_ '. Under their feet, the world shifts, transforms, until they land with a little metallic 'clang'.

Adora's head lazily rolls to the side. Her eyes wander the hallway, whichever one this happens to... her eyes grow wider and wider as she realizes: "We're near the brig! This is where Catra!"

Glimmer nods meekly. "Yes. Adora. This is where Catra."

"Catra likes me," Adora mumbles, cheeks red.

Glimmer nods, smile drawing thin. "Yup! So why don't you wait for her here in her room? She'll be here aaaaany minute."

Adora looks like a little kid as she scoffs. "Nnnnope."

Glimmer groans, but Bow leans in, confused, adding with a smile, "Come on, Adora, don't you wanna wait here and surprise Catra?"

"Noooooo," Adora laughs, pressing against the hallway wall. She slowly slides to the floor as she says, "Catra hatess surprises. And besides, she only goes to her room when she wants to be aloooooone."

Bow sighs. "Well, at least your brain's come back a little bit..."

Glimmer is almost growling by now. She grabs them both, and says, "Okay, fine! In that case!"

' _Voip_ '.

Adora looks around, smiles. "Ha-ha, oh hey! It's my room!"

Glimmer's hands fly to her sides, curled into fists, as she breathes out between clenched teeth, "Yes. And Catra will come here. So you should wait. Here. For Catra." Glimmer scowls. "HERE."

Adora rolls it over in her head, thinks about it. With a quiet stare, she wanders into her room, looks at the bed… Adora gasps.

With complete abandon she leaps from the door to the bed, lands on her stomach as the bed makes a satisfying _sqonch_ beneath her. By the time Bow leans into the doorway to see, she's already gently snoring, hair tussled up in a mess behind her.

Glimmer sighs, but when Bow puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder, she musters up a smile, tired as it is.

“I know you’re mad at Entrapta,” Bow murmurs, giving her cheek a little kiss, “But please don’t be.”

“I’m… not,” Glimmer tries to say. She sighs. “I’m starting to get really stressed, Bow. Let’s just…” She sighs again.

With a burst of purple shimmers, Glimmer and Bow appear next to Darla's hull. The familiar hiss and spark of Entrapta working on the ship has gone strangely quiet...

Castaspella cries out, "Ah, finally, we're all together!" Gathered against the side of the ship, Entrapta, Mermista, and Perfuma have been hemmed and herded into a group by the overwhelming witch. "We're very behind schedule, you know! I expected you all to hustle so we'd be ready for the blue moon with hardly so much as a sweat broken, but, well, your friend Adora has certainly revealed a very different kind of character, if your friends are to be believed!" Entrapta's head is shaking as Casta puts a hand on Glimmer's shoulder and says, "It's hardly even noon, dear! And did you make sure she's got water?"

"What? No, no, no," Glimmer waves her hands, "You've got this all wrong. Adora-"

"Is going to put us very behind," Casta remarks, adding, "Unless you have another big strong friend you've yet to introduce to me!"

"Auntie, Adora's been infected by a piece of a disk," Glimmer begins, brow furrowed and mood sour-er by the second. "Look. It's a First One's thing, okay? She just needs time to snap out of it."

"She already sounded a lot better," Bow adds with optimism and a smile. "She'll probably be able to help us after she sleeps!"

Castaspella reacts as if this is catastrophic, reels, hand to her head as she hisses with apoplectic intensity, "Sleep?! Bow, please, this is an entire party AND festival we're putting together in just two days! Now," she says as she draws a circle in the air, pulls from it a quill and scratch paper, "I've made a list of all of the available merchants, performers, and cooks: available as in they are within a two-day travel from Brightmoon, so they can be ready in time for the festival properly. And within that list!" She produces another piece of paper. "If they can make it by tomorrow night! I think we should make those spots more exclusive-"

"AUNT CASTA." Glimmer's trembling fists and furious expression do nothing to hide her feelings. The queen adds, "Can we have just a minute to talk about Adora? 60 seconds?"

Aunt Casta's eyebrows are perched at the very top of her head, eyes open wide. "Well, I... of course, darling." She quietly disappears the quill, the pages. "I didn't realize Adora was a... ongoing issue. I'll be waiting in the war room with General Juliet. She's set up some maps and we should reference them. Excuse me." Hands clasped in front of her, the sorceress leaves with her head raised high.

Perfuma leans in, and in a whisper asks, "Is Adora okay?"

Bow nods while Glimmer jumps in and says, "First and foremost! Adora is sleeping in her room on Darla."

"Please please please," Bow says, "We're begging you, don't wake her up."

"Knowing Auntie, we’ll all have to work double time if we're gonna get everything done, but in an hour or two, we should be able to come back and wake Adora. Normal Adora. And then we’ll have normal She-Ra! So until then, if anyone's looking for Adora, just uh... say she..." Glimmer puts her hand to her face.

Mermista scoffs. "This is the kind of amateur scheme making you get from people who haven't done the reading." She crosses her arms and says with a smile, "Tell them she's with someone else. So Glimmer, you say she's with Bow. Bow, say she's with me. I say she's with Perfuma, Perfuma Entrapta, Entrapta Glimmer. Ta-da." She smirks. "Now no matter who you ask, they'll get sent bouncing around, looking for one of us over and over for so long that no one will be able to 'find her' before she wakes up."

Bow and Glimmer blink. "That's... a great plan."

"Mhmm, I don't really care. If we finish planning this plan, we can leave this gross garage?" She turns to Entrapta and adds, "No offense."

"None taken! It's dankness is a sign of significant progress!" She puts a finger to her lip, and says, "I guess if you guys are sure it'd be for the best... Mmmmmmm but I don't like the idea of lying! And I don't know what I'd say if Catra were to-"

Glimmer's face flushes with fear, she throws up her hands, and says, "No no no, especially Catra! Please!"

Bow says, "Glimmer-"

"Please, she... she's just started to settle in," Glimmer pleads, lowering her voice to a barely perceivable whisper and adding, "She's been really distant ever since we got to Brightmoon. I think she's dealing with a lot of... effects, from everything, and if she was reminded of that disk and what she did-"

"Uuugh," Mermista moans. Glimmer hastily _shh's_ her, so the princess drops to a whisper as she adds, "Why are we being so nice to her? Just because Adora thinks she's cute?"

Perfuma scowls a little, adds quietly, "I'm finding myself in agreement with Mermista. Sort of. But less… direct. She has been a really terrible friend for Adora, and also Scorpia, regardless of what hardships she was facing. She knowingly hurt people, and I understand she helped us at the end but... well, I'm worried it was because her options were limited." Perfuma twists her eyebrows up and darts her eyes to the ship, adding, "It remains to be seen what kind of friend she is when she thinks everything's okay. Whether she'll slip back into her old ways."

"She won't."

Everyone looks up in surprise. Entrapta is winding her hair in circles around itself, wringing her hands. She doesn't make eye contact, but mumbles, "She… asked me once how I got you guys to forgive me… I think… she's probably thinking about it a lot… maybe even all the time...."

"Mhmm," Mermista nods. "And was this before we beat Prime? When she wasn't sure someone wasn't gonna try and slice her in half the instant they saw her? Oh, but this must have been after she knocked you out, right? Didn't that happen?" Mermista narrows her gaze, her whispering voice coated in thick venom. "Or did she say this now? After she's gotten in close with Adora?"

"She's always been really close to Adora!" Bow says, brow furrowing. "You guys don't know what you're talking about!"

"Isn't this always how she is?" Mermista holds up a hand, counts off, "She got close to Hordak, but then Horde Prime beat him. So she got close to Horde Prime, but it backfired, so she gets Adora to rescue her. Now she's close to Adora," Mermista whispers sharply, "But this time it's just a complete coincidence? She's fooling all of you, this is what she does **all** the **time**!"

Entrapta weakly returns, "Y-you don't know that!"

Perfuma in a confused shout, "What happens when she starts to take advantage of our friends again? What happens to Adora? And Scorpia?!"

"Why are we bringing up the scorpion again?!"

Glimmer stomps her foot. "Enough!" Her voice ricochets around the room and vibrates off every surface as the queen of Brightmoon levels her gaze across the crowd. "I trust her. Adora trusts her. Adora is in love with her! That's all that matters! I promise you, you'll see it, but you have to give it time, okay?" She crosses her arms and adds decisively, "In the meantime? You keep your attitudes to yourselves."

Mermista, without a word, turns on her heels, walks straight through the closest door, and let's it slam shut behind her. Perfuma, conversely, half runs to the same door, peeps through it, distressed. She turns to those assembled and says, "I do not know if I agree, and I will be watching out for our friends... but I won't say anymore. I will find Mermista and meet you all in the war room."

Entrapta weakly mumbles, "I'll get my things and head there as well." She goes to her workbench, gathers a few items, pats Emily on the head. As the two pass by, she turns to Glimmer and Bow and smiles weakly. "Thank you for... standing up for our friends. Even when they've... not been perfect."

Bow smiles. "Of course. Everyone's trying their best... they just need room to grow."

Entrapta smiles, and in her pocket, she turns the red data crystal over in her hand. She flicks back down her welding mask, and with a _'come on, Emily'_ , hustles through the door to the stairs. The bot lingers by the workshop wall, keeps turning and beeping, but when Entrapta exits, Emily quickly follows with a sad _fweeeeep_.

Glimmer sighs. Then sighs again louder. She pushes the palms of her hands in her eyes, twists them back and forth. Bow pulls her in close, and she tucks her head into his chest and murmurs, "I'm sorry, I'm okay now. I just..." She wipes her face again, determined to shake it off. "...we won. Why are we fighting? We won. We don't have to do this anymore."

Bow gently rubs her back, holds her in close. He whispers, "Hey, it's okay! You're right. We did win, and we're all friends now. It's just... gonna take some time for people to realize that."

Glimmer mumbles, “I wish they’d hurry up.”

Bow laughs. “Me too.”

They spend a moment holding each other like that, the empty workshop’s many random machines humming around them. Finally, Glimmer takes Bow’s hand in hers, and softly asks, “Ready?”

The archer nods, and with a ‘ _voip_ ’, the two vanish… as a tall figure steps out from the shadows, its eyes fixed on the entrance to the ship.

\- ----------- -

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, as this is my first crack at this sort of thing! I was nervous to share any work this way, but I enjoyed writing the chapters you've seen so far (though they took a few months to complete), and to be quite honest with you, I wanted to motivate myself to continue working on this. I would like to know how the festival goes as much as anyone else! ✨❤️


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